Skip to main content
Key Specialties
Cardiology Diabetology Endocrinology Gastroenterology Geriatrics and Gerontology Gynecology and Obstetrics Hematology Infectious Disease Internal Medicine Nephrology Neurology Oncology Pediatrics Respiratory Medicine Rheumatology Surgery
Congress Coverage
2024 ACC Congress 2023 ESMO Congress 2023 EASD Congress 2023 ERS Congress 2023 ESC Congress
Clinical Collections
Advances in Alzheimer’s

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

LIVE: Thursday 27th June 2024, 18:00-19:30 (CEST)
Join our expert panel to discover why you need to understand the drivers of non-adherence in your patients, and how you can optimize medication adherence in your clinics to drastically improve patient outcomes.
ADVANCED SEARCH
Log in
Top
BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies
Published in: BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies 1/2020

Open Access 01-12-2020 | Care | Research article

The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in Europe

Authors: Erlend L. Fjær, Erling R. Landet, Courtney L. McNamara, Terje A. Eikemo

Published in: BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies | Issue 1/2020

Login to get access

Abstract

Background

While the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has become increasingly popular in western societies, we do not understand why CAM use is more frequent in some countries than in others. The aim of this article is to examine the determinants of CAM use at the individual and country-level.

Methods

Logistic multilevel regressions were applied analyzing data from 33,371 respondents in 21 European countries (including Israel) from the seventh round of the European Social Survey. We examined CAM in terms of overall use and also dichotomized treatments into physical and consumable subgroups.

Results

At the individual level, we found CAM use to be associated with a range of socioeconomic, demographic and health indicators. At the country level, we found that countries’ health expenditures were positively related to the prevalence of overall and physical CAM treatments.

Conclusions

A common predictor for CAM use, both at the individual (in terms of education and financial strain) and country-level (in terms of health expenditures per capita), is greater resources.
Appendix
Available only for authorised users
Literature
1.
Baer HA. Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Processes of Legitimation, Professionalization, and Cooption. In: The New Blackwell Companion to Medical Sociology; 2010. p. 373–90.
2.
Briggs JP. Complementary, alternative and integrative health practices. In: Kasper D, Fauci A, Hauser S, Longo D, Jameson JL, Loscalzo J, editors. Harrison’s principles of internal medicine. 19th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill; 2015.
3.
Frass M, Strassl RP, Friehs H, Mullner M, Kundi M, Kaye AD. Use and acceptance of complementary and alternative medicine among the general population and medical personnel: a systematic review. Ochsner J. 2012;12(1):45–56.PubMedPubMedCentral
4.
Harris PE, Cooper KL, Relton C, Thomas KJ. Prevalence of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use by the general population: a systematic review and update. Int J Clin Pract. 2012;66(10):924–39.CrossRef
5.
Wiles J, Rosenberg MW. ‘Gentle caring experience’. Seeking alternative health care in Canada. Health Place. 2001;7(3):209–24.CrossRef
6.
Eisenberg DM, Davis RB, Ettner SL, Appel S, Wilkey S, Van Rompay M, et al. Trends in alternative medicine use in the United States, 1990-1997: results of a follow-up national survey. Jama. 1998;280(18):1569–75.CrossRef
7.
Fisher P, Ward A. Medicine in Europe: complementary medicine in Europe. BMJ. 1994;309(6947):107–11.CrossRef
8.
Astin JA. Why patients use alternative medicine: results of a national study. Jama. 1998;279(19):1548–53.CrossRef
9.
Kelner M, Wellman B. Health care and consumer choice: medical and alternative therapies. Soc Sci Med. 1997;45(2):203–12.CrossRef
10.
Kemppainen LM, Kemppainen TT, Reippainen JA, Salmenniemi ST, Vuolanto PH. Use of complementary and alternative medicine in Europe: health-related and sociodemographic determinants. Scand J Public Health. 2018;46(4):448–55.CrossRef
11.
Eikemo TA, Bambra C, Huijts T, Fitzgerald R. The first pan-European sociological health inequalities survey of the general population: the European social survey rotating module on the social determinants of health. Eur Sociol Rev. 2016;33(1):137–53.
12.
Wendt C. Changing healthcare system types. Soc Policy Adm. 2014;48(7):864–82.CrossRef
13.
14.
15.
Salomonsen LJ, Skovgaard L, la Cour S, Nyborg L, Launsø L, Fønnebø V. Use of complementary and alternative medicine at Norwegian and Danish hospitals. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2011;11(1):4.CrossRef
16.
Fonnebo V, Launso L. High use of complementary and alternative medicine inside and outside of the government-funded health care system in Norway. J Altern Complement Med (New York, NY). 2009;15(10):1061–6.CrossRef
17.
Bremer P. Forgone care and financial burden due to out-of-pocket payments within the German health care system. Heal Econ Rev. 2014;4(1):36.CrossRef
18.
Fjaer EL, Stornes P, Borisova LV, McNamara CL, Eikemo TA. Subjective perceptions of unmet need for health care in Europe among social groups: Findings from the European social survey (2014) special module on the social determinants of health. Eur J Public Health. 2017;27(suppl_1):82–9.CrossRef
19.
Reibling N. Healthcare systems in Europe: towards an incorporation of patient access. J Eur Soc Policy. 2010;20(1):5–18.CrossRef
20.
Barnes PM, Powell-Griner E, McFann K, Nahin RL. Complementary and alternative medicine use among adults: United States. Adv Data. 2002;2004(343):1–19.
21.
Davis MA, Weeks WB, Coulter ID. A proposed conceptual model for studying the use of complementary and alternative medicine. Altern Ther Health Med. 2011;17(5):32–6.PubMed
22.
Debas HT, Laxminarayan R, Straus SE. Complementary and alternative medicine. In: Jamison DT, Breman JG, Measham AR, editors. editors Disease control priorities in developing countries 2nd edition Washington (DC): the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / the World Bank; 2006 chapter 69. New York: Oxford University Press; 2006.
23.
Huijts T, Monden CWS, Kraaykamp G. Education, educational Heterogamy, and self-assessed health in Europe: a multilevel study of spousal effects in 29 European countries. Eur Sociol Rev. 2009;26(3):261–76.CrossRef
24.
Klinteberg MA. Editorial (part I): the history and present scope of physical therapy. Int J Technol Assess Health Care. 1992;8(1):4–9.CrossRef
25.
Ning AM. How ‘alternative’ is CAM? Rethinking conventional dichotomies between biomedicine and complementary/alternative medicine. Health (London, England : 1997). 2013;17(2):135–58.CrossRef
26.
27.
28.
Reibling N, Wendt C. Gatekeeping and provider choice in OECD healthcare systems. Curr Sociol. 2012;60(4):489–505.CrossRef
29.
Masseria C, Irwin R, Thomson S, Gemmill M, Mossialos E. Primary care in Europe. Policy brief. London: The London School of Economics and Political Science; 2009.
30.
Snijders T, Bosker R. Multilevel analysis: an introduction to basic and applied multilevel analysis (2nd edition). London: Sage; 2012.
31.
Bryan ML, Jenkins SP. Multilevel Modelling of country effects: a cautionary tale. Eur Sociol Rev. 2015;32(1):3–22.CrossRef
32.
Bishop FL, Lewith GT. Who uses CAM? A narrative review of demographic characteristics and health factors associated with CAM use. Evid Based Complement Altern Med. 2010;7(1):11–28.CrossRef
33.
Dello Buono M, Urciuoli O, Marietta P, Padoani W, De Leo D. Alternative medicine in a sample of 655 community-dwelling elderly. J Psychosom Res. 2001;50(3):147–54.CrossRef
34.
Green CA, Pope CR. Gender, psychosocial factors and the use of medical services: a longitudinal analysis. Soc Sci Med (1982). 1999;48(10):1363–72.CrossRef
35.
Matthews S, Manor O, Power C. Social inequalities in health: are there gender differences? Soc Sci Med (1982). 1999;48(1):49–60.CrossRef
36.
Byrnes JP, Miller DC, Schafer WD. Gender differences in risk taking: a meta-analysis. Psychol Bull. 1999;125(3):367–83.CrossRef
37.
Hanssen B, Grimsgaard S, Launso L, Fonnebo V, Falkenberg T, Rasmussen NK. Use of complementary and alternative medicine in the Scandinavian countries. Scand J Prim Health Care. 2005;23(1):57–62.CrossRef
38.
Paramore LC. Use of alternative therapies: estimates from the 1994 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation National Access to care survey. J Pain Symptom Manag. 1997;13(2):83–9.CrossRef
39.
Druss BG, Rosenheck RA. Association between use of unconventional therapies and conventional medical services. Jama. 1999;282(7):651–6.CrossRef
40.
Hitiris T, Posnett J. The determinants and effects of health expenditure in developed countries. J Health Econ. 1992;11(2):173–81.CrossRef
Metadata
Title
The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in Europe
Authors
Erlend L. Fjær
Erling R. Landet
Courtney L. McNamara
Terje A. Eikemo
Publication date
01-12-2020
Publisher
BioMed Central
Keyword
Care
Published in
BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies / Issue 1/2020
Electronic ISSN: 2662-7671
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-020-02903-w

Other articles of this Issue 1/2020

BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies 1/2020 Go to the issue

Research article

Curcumin inhibits the migration of osteoclast precursors and osteoclastogenesis by repressing CCL3 production

Research article

Water extract from processed Polygonum multiflorum modulate gut microbiota and glucose metabolism on insulin resistant rats

Research article

Polyherbal formula (ASILACT®) induces Milk production in lactating rats through Upregulation of α-Lactalbumin and aquaporin expression

Research article

Ginsenosides induce extensive changes in gene expression and inhibit oxidative stress-induced apoptosis in human lens epithelial cells

Research article

Traditional and complementary medicine use among Ebola survivors in Sierra Leone: a qualitative exploratory study of the perspectives of healthcare workers providing care to Ebola survivors

Research article

Evaluation of the antimicrobial activity and safety of Rhus vulgaris (Anacardiaceae) extracts